British Columbia has 9 main circle routes that take drivers through an incredible variety of country, from the sea and rainforests to deserts and volcanic lava flows. The longest of these routes is the Great Northern Circle Route, which is at least 2,594 km (1,612 miles) long, and can be much longer if you take some of the side roads.

While the vast majority of people will make this 8-14-day journey in the summer, a winter trip offers some superb experiences. In late February and early March I made the loop again and would like share some of the experiences from this trip.

Because most people live south of Prince George, that city is the usual starting point for this route, but I started from my home in Whitehorse (Yukon Territory). One of the challenges of winter travel is the shorter hours of daylight available for touring, but for photographers that can also be an advantage, as it’s much more convenient to see the wonderful light of dawn, as at Teslin in the photo below.

For me, the access point for the circle route is the junction of the Alaska and Stewart-Cassiar Highways (#s 97 and 37), just west of Watson Lake, Yukon. As it roughly follows the Liard River, the Alaska Highway wanders back and forth across the BC/Yukon border several times.

While caribou are often seen, the first large animals that are virtually always seen are wood bison (Bison bison athabascae). They used to only be seen fairly close to the Liard River bridge at Km 763, but their range has dramatically increased in recent years and they can now be seen from Watson Lake to Toad River, a distance of 325 km (202 miles). It’s very common to see them on the highway, sometimes completely blocking the road, and extra caution needs to be exercised in this region.

This distinctive view at Km 779, with the Liard River on the right, is always my sign that we’re now in the northernmost extension of the Rocky Mountains, and Liard Hot Springs is coming up soon (less than 14 km away).

Liard River Hotsprings in the winter is a very special place. This short video I shot may help show you why better than still pictures (the video opens in a new window).

Muncho Lake, 12 km (7.5 mi) long, is certainly one of the stars in northern BC in any season, and the colour of the light near sunset on this trip was superb.

While there aren’t a large number of options for accommodations along much of this route, there are some excellent ones. Whenever possible, I spend a night at the beautifully crafted Northern Rockies Lodge on Muncho Lake. The spectacular limestone mountains surrounding the lodge are a wonderful sight to wake up to.

Some of the most dramatic scenes along the route are in the narrow valley of the Toad River.

Most of the Alaska Highway has been widened and straightened, but this section near the MacDonald River bridge (Km 628) is a look at what most of the highway was like just a couple of decades ago.

A small herd of caribou at Rocky Crest Lake, a small body of water just north of Summit Lake. Summit Lake is the highest point on the entire Alaska Highway at 1,295 meters (4,250 feet), and these lakes have ice on them through May and even into June in a normal year.

Most of the visitor attractions in northern BC, and most services such as campgrounds, are closed in the winter, but some like the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum can still be browsed to some degree. A pair of snowshoes and/or cross-country skis may help you get much more from this adventure, whether it’s for very short walks to a viewpoint, or for longer treks at any number of locations.

Steamboat Summit west of Fort Nelson is the end of the high mountains along the Alaska Highway, but there are still some impressive views as you enter the Peace River district.

Although it was agriculture that spurred development of the Peace River district and is still significant, the shale on the slopes in the photo above are indicators of the booming resource in this region today, oil and gas. The gas processing plant at Taylor (Km 56) is the largest of the many facilities along the highway.

Dawson Creek is a community that I’ve visited many times over the years because I thoroughly enjoy the history and arts scene in particular. On this trip, though, I stayed an extra night and discovered much more about it. I’ve published a separate post about that touring day, Exploring Dawson Creek in the Winter.

On this trip I detoured into northern Alberta to visit relatives, and re-entered the Great Northern Circle Route at Prince George. The weather wasn’t conducive to touring the railway museum as I’d planned, so I just had a fairly short look at it and some other points of railway interest (the large yard and the bridge acros the Fraser River) and continued on. There will be a “next time”.

Highway 16 (the Yellowhead) to the west of Prince George passes through lovely country, including the Lakes District centred around Burns Lake. With some 300 lakes, many of them accessible by road, this is fishing paradise, and that includes winter ice fishing.

I seldom go by Eddy Park on the Bulkley River at Telkwa without stopping. It just has a good vibe for me.

I reached Smithers as planned that night, but my plans got changed from there. One of the keys to making a trip like this enjoyable is being flexible. The good weather forecast for the drive up the Stewart-Cassiar changed rapidly, and when I woke up in the morning, the highway to Stewart was closed due to avalanche danger, and much of the highway was under a travel advisory due to heavy snow. That left me with few options other than retracing my route back to Prince George, and then north.

On the John Hart Highway north of Prince George, the high point is Pine Pass at 875 meters (2,871 feet), and it gathers a lot of snow. The wet snow didn’t last long, though, and well before reaching Chetwynd I was in the sunshine on a dry road.

Even when I don’t have to, I really enjoy driving in the mountains at night when there’s no traffic and I can drive at whatever speed I want. Back on the Alaska Highway along the Toad River, the night was simply magical, with a nearly-full moon lighting up the peaks along the route. Some snow was falling from the ragged clouds – sometimes light, sometimes very heavy and driven by a strong north wind.

One of the reasons that I chose to drive at night was to be back at the hot springs in the middle of the night. With nobody else there, dead silent and lit by the moon, it was incredible, and when the aurora borealis made a showing, even though it was greatly diffused by the moonlight – well, I just don’t even have the words to describe the experience.

That is a very brief look at a major trip (I spent just under 7 days on the actual Great Northern Circle Route), and in future posts I’ll be expanding on some areas and filling in some of the many blanks. To repeat what I said early in this post, this trip isn’t for everyone – the article How to Drive to Alaska in the Winter may help you decide if it should be on your list. I’d be happy to discuss any aspect of the trip or answer any questions – just use the “Leave a Reply” box below.

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Murray Lundberg
After spending 40 years living in British Columbia in locations from Vancouver's West End and Burnaby to Fort Langley and Stewart, Murray Lundberg currently lives about 50 miles north of the BC border, in Whitehorse, Yukon. He retired in 2013 after 23 years working as driver/guide for lengthy motorcoach tours, primarily in the Yukon, northern BC, Alaska, and the Northwest Territories, and now wanders year-round on highways and backroads, trails and untracked mountainsides, pursuing his passions of travel, nature and photography.

13 Comments

Thanks, Kyle – I’m glad that you enjoyed it. I’m a big fan of off-season and off-the-beaten-track travel. It used to be because I had no free time in the summer months due to my job driving tour buses, but now I simply enjoy it. It’s not without its challenges, but offers some unique experiences.

Hi! Thanks for the great info. My husband and I, along with another couple, are looking at doing the loop from prince Rupert up to the linard hot springs and then down back to Vancouver island via vancouver. We have 10 days to do this loop and at the end of December. We are taking good dodge trucks with winterized campers. As I am from Victoria I don’t really have much idea if this is possible at that time of year or even in that 10day time frame. I would probably rather go in the spring but the men are saying it’ll be fine just worried the weather would be too cold to do anything and we could get stuck with a lot of road closers. Any thoughts would be helpful as I am trying to search as much as possible. Thanks!! Katie

Hi Katie. As I’ve frequently said, I’m a big fan of off-season and even winter adventures, and with the right equipment, that trip is certainly possible, though 10 days is perhaps a bit rushed. It’s Highway 37 (the Stewart-Cassiar) that is most likely to have closures, and in late December there are usually very few or none. Once you get up onto the Alaska Highway, be prepared for temperatures into the minus-30s, though you may get lucky and not get them that low. Liard Hot Springs in the winter is a magical place, and I have no doubt will be one of the highlights of the trip. Please let me know how it goes! And if you have more questions, feel free to ask.

My wife and myself are planning a summer trip from June 30th till July 23rd (maybe longer) from Victoria BC by Prince George (highway 97) and the Northern loop. I’m pulling a 28 footer travel trailer with a 2500 RAM diesel.
Some people advised me that the road are not great and some in gravel.
I would like your advice on the road but more on the trip itself like where to stay etc.
we just did the trip from Victoria to Quebec last summer but I do not want to drive all day.
We just want to relax and enjoy our first Northern trip.

Michel & Carolle. Your comment that you ” just want to relax and enjoy our first Northern trip” puts you off to a great start – this is not a trip to rush. I’ll be driving the Loop again this summer as part of a 3-month trip from Whitehorse to Quebec City and back, in a 30-foot Class A motorhome with a little SUV in tow, so my size is similar to yours. I don’t like to drive more than 3 hours a day on average, and less is better. You may well find that your planned 23 days or so is a bit tight when you allow for some side-trips like Stewart, possibly Fort St. James and Hudson’s Hope, etc.

Some people seem to like to exaggerate the difficulty of the trip, but the loop we’re talking about here is all paved (including the Stewart Cassiar – BC Highway 37). Some construction is a summer reality, but there don’t appear to be any really lengthy sections planned this year, and if you do hit a rough stretch (typically a couple of kilometers), slowing down soles all problems. As far as where to stay, the number of options is huge, and getting a copy of The Milepost will help you enjoy the experience. From commercial parks to some exceptionally nice provincial parks (Boya Lake, Meziadin Lake and Summit Lake in particular are quite stunning) to safe and legal boondocking at many locations, you can get lots of variety.

I hope that helps. If you have any other questions, I’m always happy to help if I can.

Murray

Michel

2 yearss ago

Thanks Murray for your reply. That make us feel better to do this trip. I hope you will enjoy Quebec and if I can help you on where to stay (I’m from Québec city) Neufchatel, it will be my pleasure to help you. Save some time to go in Gaspésie.

We are planning a trip from Squamish BC to Summit Lake Liar River, Whitehorse, Dawson City Chicken AK, Skagway AK, Teslin and Watson lake.
My questions are:
A: is it the best way to see the Yukon or doing it the other way from Watson Lake to Skagway etc.?
B: Is 3 weeks is enough for that trip?
C; Any suggestions from you like where to stay with our Trailer, wild camping and what to see?

I think I answered all of your questions when you posted last week, other than it doesn’t really make any difference which direction you drive the Yukon loop in. I’ve mapped out a circle route that gives you the best variety, though adding side trips is always good if you have time – and I’d consider Stewart a must-see. It’s 6400 km long, at http://mapq.st/1RfSad9 .

My daughter is relocating from Vancouver to Whitehorse …. she is traveling with her dog by car …leaving at the end of February….I am very worried … can you give her any advice …and guidance.
She is an outdoor adventurist and at the age of 37 …is very strong willed. As her mother I am very worried. I live in Ontario and I wanted to go out and travel with her …but she is moving and tells me there will not be any room in her car ….yes very independent.

Hi Sandy. Even in February, there’s nothing particularly difficult or dangerous about driving from Vancouver to Whitehorse. Some basic precautions should be taken, which I’ve written about at http://www.explorenorth.com/library/howto/ht-akwinter.htm (the border crossing information isn’t applicable, but everything else is). Good luck to your daughter with her new life – Whitehorse is an awesome place to live for us independent people 🙂

Hi Murray,
Just came across your blog. Thank you so much for all the info you shared. I live in Toronto and I just love visiting the colder parts of Canada/Alaska. I’m in the midst of planning a road trip up to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean over Christmas, in a car. (someone has to be crazy, it might as well be me)
Last year I drove Toronto to Inuvik crossed into Alaska at Poker Creek/Chicken, saw Fairbanks and Anchorage and came down the Pacific side of BC to Seattle and across Washington State, Idaho, Montana all the was through Illinois and back into Ontario, all 22,000 km alone, but the most amazing trip of my life.
What’s your advise on my plan to the Arctic Ocean? Most rental companies don’t have snow tires on their cars or permit the use of chains…..and on my Nissan Altima I have both.
I know its crazy doing this trip in a 2 wheel drive car , but I also thought it’ld be quite a feat to do it in a car.
My route would take me from Toronto through the Northern US and back into Alberta at Montana, then Calgary, Grand Prairie, Whitehorse, Eagle Plains, Inuvik and finally Tuktoyaktuk.
Please share any advise for me…..I plan to leave Toronto on Friday December 22.

Thanks again and have a great day .
Chinedu (Mr)………but everyone, including my parents call me Chi!

Hi Chi. It took me a while to understand that it’s your Nissan Altima with snow tires and chains that you’re driving to Tuk. Mentioning rentals threw me 🙂 It’s a perfectly reasonable drive in a well-equipped car, even a 2-wheel-drive one. Just carry a full complement of survival gear and watch the weather and road reports. Have fun!

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